Family BAUStyle
by Ella-Olivia
Summary: JJ and Will have a barbecue with their family, the team. That means a lot of love and a lot of chaos. FUTURE-FIC, many pairings and children.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, this is my first fanfiction, don't expect too much. English is not my first language, so please forgive me if there are any mistakes.**

**I do not own Criminal Minds.**

**Family BAU-Style **

Chapter 1

"In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present." Francis Bacon

Everything was good now. JJ almost lost faith in things becoming like they were supposed to be, but now the family was finally united and happy. So much happened lately. Hailey's death was a hard blow for everyone on the team and so many tears were shed, hearts so badly injured, that for a short time she was scared that it would be impossible to pick up the pieces again. But now, five years after the incident that changed Hotch's and Jack's lives, they could smile again. JJ felt warmth flow through her body as she watched her team, her family, united in the LaMontagne backyard, celebrating the love and the happiness that filled each heart. JJ smiled. They all had to fight hard and be strong to overcome the sorrow, until they finally found the perfect lives they all deserved to have. Now, after waiting for so long, they were finally able to enjoy all the great things life had for them.

JJ and her husband for five years, Will, had spontaneously decided to have a garden party and barbecue in their big garden. It was Will's idea because he jokingly said they absolutely had to inaugurate their new grill. But by smiling at each other they both knew they just wanted to have their friends, their family, around them to enjoy together the wonderful summer day. And even more important to celebrate the two weeks of vacation the members of the BAU got from their Section Chief Strauss.

JJ stood satisfied on the porch, observing the hustle and bustle in her garden. All team members and their families came and over the past few years they had become a really big family. She saw her best friend Penelope and her husband for four years, Kevin, sitting on a bench, kissing. They didn't care about all the people around them, they just enjoyed each other's company. JJ knew from the very beginning that these two matched perfectly. And she was right. Now the two of them had two children, Amber, who was five years old, and Max, two years old. JJ loved them both so much, not only because she was their godmother, but also because they were so much like their mother. JJ grinned while she watched Amber, the big girl who was her mother's spitting image despite her dark hair that she inherited from her father, loudly playing with Garcia's best friend Morgan and his three-year-old daughter Isabella, better known as Izzie. Morgan, who had always been a hopeless womanizer, had finally changed his mind and married his ex-coworker Jordan Todd. Yeah, even Jordan came that way back to the team and now long ago belonged to the family. Beside Izzie Derek and Jordan had another daughter, Christina or Chrissie, who was only five month old. JJ discovered the little baby girl sleeping peacefully in her mother's arms while Jordan watched her husband and other daughter playing, a huge smile on her lips.

JJ continued to look around and found Max, Garcia's and Kevin's little son, playing calmly in Henry's sandbox. While his big sister Amber was loud, funny and bright, exactly like her mom, the two-year-old toddler was absolutely calm, a little bit shy and always friendly. Next to him sat Reid, his hair long and curly, and looked after his friend's son and his two own sons, the ten month old twins Finn and Luke. Yeah, that seemed incredible, but Spence finally found someone who loved him and who he loved. And that was Austin. You remember Austin? From 52 pickup? The two of them were happily married for two years. JJ adored Reid and Austin's two little boys and she was so proud of Spence finally having a real family of his own. Not long ago the team had celebrated the baptism of the vivid twins. Now they played in the sandbox, brightly screaming, together with their caring daddy and their little friend, the happily giggling Max.

Not far away JJ could see Austin talking to Emily, JJ's best friend beside Reid and Garcia. Emily had a big hamburger in her hand and suddenly laughed out loud because of something Austin said. Emily also was happily married, now already for three years. And believe it or not, Hotch was the lucky one. JJ had been so happy for the two of them when they finally had got together. If there was someone in this world who deserved to be happy then it was Hotch. And now he was, he really was. He finally was able to smile again. Yeah, Emily was the one who gave him his faith back. But not only that, there was someone else who was extremely happy to have her in his life and that was now nine-year-old Jack. The little boy lost his mom and found in Emily a new one. They both loved each other just so much, JJ always had to smile when she saw them together. Beside of Jack Hotch and Emily had another child, their four-year-old daughter Grace, better known as Gracie. As Jack was the spitting image of his father, his little sister looked exactly like her mother.

Thinking of Jack and Grace, she searched for them in her big garden until she discovered them and their father Hotch standing in the middle of the garden's lawn, each armed with gigantic water pistols. They stood face to face with JJ's husband, Will. JJ smiled fondly at seeing him. He was just so amazing and each day she lived with him she loved him more and more. Next to Will stood his and JJ's two big children: Henry, six years old, with his gold blond hair and his big, brightly shining blue eyes an exact copy of his mother, and Olivia, three years old, with her dark eyes and her brown, curly hair the spitting image of her father. Like Hotch and his kids the three had water pistols in their hands. JJ laughed when suddenly all the six of them began to scream and splattered each other with the cold water in their pistols. The two big boys, Henry and Jack, were best friends since they were the biggest children of the team and just really loved each other. The two girls, Olivia and Gracie, along with Amber and Izzie, were one big girl club and always played together. Over the past years also Will and Hotch had chummed up with each other and now shared a close friendship.

JJ turned around in search for Rossi until she found him with her smallest child in his arms sitting on the swing. JJ smiled seeing her youngest son Johnny, only one year old, laughing because of some silly antics Dave did for him. Yeah, although Rossi had no children or wife of his own he nevertheless wasn't lonely because he was the proud grandfather for all of the team's children and he also belonged to the big BAU family.

Love is all around me, JJ thought. Could it be any better?

Detective William LaMontagne Jr. / Will  
SSA Jennifer Jareau-LaMontagne / JJ  
Henry William LaMontagne (6)  
Olivia Fiona LaMontagne (3)  
John Alexander LaMontagne (1)

SSA Aaron Hotchner / Hotch  
SSA Emily Prentiss-Hotchner  
Jack Anthony Hotchner (9)  
Grace Hailey Hotchner (4)

SSA Dr. Spencer Reid  
Austin Reid  
Lukas Gideon Reid (10 M.)  
Finn Christopher Reid (10 M.)

TA Penelope Garcia  
TA Kevin Lynch  
Amber Kate Garcia (5)  
Max Joshua Garcia (2)

SSA Derek Morgan  
SA Jordan Todd  
Isabella Mary Morgan (3)  
Christina Lucy Morgan (5 M.)

Senior SSA David Rossi / Dave

Winston Churchill said, "There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues of human society are created, strengthened and maintained."

**Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Helen Keller once said: "Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it."

JJ's heart swelled by the view of all the laughing, smiling and happy faces of her family and friends all around her. She thought back to the morning when she had received the mail from Strauss in which she had granted the BAU team two free weeks…

"Yeah!", JJ screamed, jumping up from her desk chair und dancing wildly around.

"What's up, Mommy! What happened?", Henry shouted excitedly because of her squealing voice.

JJ scooped him up and threw him up in the air. "Yeah, Henry! I have two weeks off, I can be home for two weeks and play with you all day, isn't that absolutely great?", JJ screamed happily.

Henry laughed and screeched: "Yeah, yeah, throw me in the air again, Mommy, please!"

"Of course, sonny boy, now I have time!", JJ laughed with him and danced with her big, heavy, six-year-old son in her arms in their living room around.

Will ran into the room, alerted by the noises. "Everything okay? What's up with you two?", he asked with a worried look on his face.

JJ and Henry had to laugh at Will's facial expression and JJ answered: "Don't worry, honey, everything's perfect. I have two weeks off! Two weeks free time only for my family!"

Will's worried face lit up and changed into a bright smile. "Yay, that's great!", he rejoiced and took his son from the arms of his wife to spin him around. Then he dragged a widely smiling JJ towards him and kissed her passionately. JJ wrapped her arms around her husband's neck.

Henry squealed: "Ewwwh! Yuk! Let me down!" Will laughed und put his fidgeting son on the ground.

The little LaMontagne-girl Olivia, who had been playing outside with her friend, the son of their neighbors, came in through the terrace door and screamed: "Hey, what do you do there? I want to dance, too!"

JJ laughed and opened her arms for her little daughter. "Then come here, you silly cutie!"

Olivia ran towards her parents and brother but suddenly she stopped. Her sweet little face scrunched musingly when she shouted: "No, stop, people! We need music!"

Henry danced around, saying affirmative: "Yeah, great idea, Livie! Mommy, Daddy, music!"

Immediately JJ obeyed and put her kids' favorite CD of music into the CD player and turned the sound on. Soon the four them sang along to the songs, danced around hilariously and laughed happily. Will scooped his little girl up on his shoulders while JJ gripped her son's hands and spun him around.

After a while of wild dancing the four fell on their soft couch, gasping for air. "Hey, we could make a barbecue for the family today, what do you think?", Will suddenly asked.

"Yes! We could do a water fight since it is so hot outside!", Henry agreed enthusiastically.

"And we could buy burgers! I love them!", Olivia suggested vividly. JJ beamed: "Good idea, Will! We absolutely have to celebrate the summer and the vacation!"

Will smiled. "And we can finally inaugurate my new grill!" JJ distorted her eyes. "Yeah, of course!", she laughed amused.

Suddenly they heard a loud and discontent scream. "Baby's wakin' up!", Olivia stated matter-of-factly.

"Okay!", Will made a plan. "You call the others, JJ, and I will handle Johnny. Kids, you go playing without destroying anything!", he added jokingly. Olivia and Henry disappeared laughing into the garden. JJ kissed her husband once more, then Will ran up the stairs as fast as he could because little Johnny's screams were constantly getting louder and angrier. He always was in a bad mood when was woken up by something.

JJ grabbed gleefully the phone to call Emily. "Prentiss!", Emily bellowed into the phone.

"Hey Em, did you already read your mails?", JJ asked excitedly.

"Yes! Two weeks of vacation! I still can't believe it!", Emily screamed through the phone. "But that was really long ago overdue!"

"Yes, absolutely! We really deserve a time off.", JJ agreed. "Will and I plan to have a little barbecue for the family today. To celebrate the summer and all.", she told Emily.

"And to inaugurate the grill!", she heard Will shouting in the background. "Did you hear that? He talks about this stupid grill all the time!", JJ laughed.

"Don't worry, Hotch is the same way!", Emily retorted compassionately. "But when we come around afterwards they will have enough time to discuss all this strange men stuff."

JJ smirked. "And we can talk about all the important women stuff!"

"Exactly. What time shall we come?", Emily asked grinning.

"What about four o'clock?", JJ suggested.

"That sounds perfect.", Emily answered. "I would suggest you call Reid and Garcia while I handle Morgan and Rossi, okay?"

"Great! Oh, wait…", JJ said while seeing Henry racing towards her.

"Is that Emily? Can I speak with Jack? Please, please!", JJ's little boy shouted excitedly.

"There's someone who absolutely wants to talk to Jack!", JJ said to Emily while laughing at her son's crazy antics and ruffling him fondly through his long, blond hair.

"Okay, wait. Attention! I scream!", Emily warned JJ.

JJ smiled and held the hearer away from her ear. Then she heard Emily's loud voice: "JACK! TELEPHONE!"

Back on the phone she said to JJ: "He's coming!"

"Okay, then I guess we do our calls by mobile phone and let our boys talk about the latest video games and the newest play mobile pirate ships!" JJ suggested amused.

"Yeah, bye, see you later!", Emily said laughing while JJ passed the hearer to her son.

She stood up from the couch hearing Henry cheerfully squeal: "Hey Jack! You know what…" Then the little boy ran off, brightly bouncing. JJ smiled at the sight of her happy son, then grabbed her mobile phone to dial the next number.

"Hello, you speak with the all knowing goddess of brightness Penelope Garcia!", JJ's best friend piped into the hearer.

JJ smiled at her (like always) good mood and answered: "Hey Garcia, it's me, JJ!"

"Oh my sugar pie, how absolutely great to hear from you!", Garcia said brightly. Then she screamed: "We have vacation! Yeah!"

JJ laughed. "Yeah, it's summer, it's hot and we don't need to work! Could the world be any better?", JJ screamed not less excitedly than Garcia.

"I absolutely agree!", the technical analyst responded. "Kevin and I plan to fly to Hawaii with the kids!"

"I hope you still have time today because Will and I plan on having a barbecue at our place with the team. What do you think?", JJ told her.

"What I think? I think that's an amazing idea! You know I love parties! Especially those with our family!"

"Okay, then come around at four. Will and I handle the food and everything else!"

"Great! We see us! Bye!" "Bye, Penelope!"

Next and last one to call was Reid. "Dr. Spencer Reid?", Reid spoke into the phone.

"Hey Spence, it's me, JJ!"

"Oh, JJ, how are you?", Reid answered friendly.

"Did you already read your mails today?", JJ asked, ready to break out into happy screams with him.

"No, I was completely busy with handling Luke. Finn is always so calm, but Luke? His favorite thing to do is to annoy Mommy and Daddy!", Reid complained about his little son. JJ laughed. She was so proud of Spence, he was an absolutely amazing and caring Daddy.

"Then I have something to cheer you up. We all got a mail today from Strauss. Two weeks of vacation for the team!", JJ told him gleefully.

"Really? And that's no joke or so?", Reid asked suspicious.

"Nope! No joke!", JJ affirmed.

"Oh, great, amazing, we really deserve that!", Reid screamed excitedly. "Whatever Luke does it won't keep me from checking my mails. I have to read it with my own eyes to believe it!"

JJ laughed. "To celebrate the start of vacation Will and I plan on a barbecue with the team today. Are you in?"

"Yes, good idea! We're in!", Reid said.

"Great! Then come over at four o'clock!", JJ told him when suddenly a scream sounded through the telephone.

"Oh no! Finn! And I thought at least he would be quiet for me!", Reid moaned.

"How do you know that it's Finn?", JJ asked curious.

"Finn cries always in a sad and pitiful way while Luke always screams angrily and much louder.", Reid explained to JJ. JJ smiled. He was such a wonderful father!

"Okay, sorry, JJ. I have to handle Finn before he wakes up Luke again!", Reid told JJ.

"Yeah, no problem, Spence. We see us afterwards!", JJ said compassionately. She knew how tiring babies could be. She had one on her own.

"Yeah, see you later!", Reid said before he put down the phone.

Will and JJ had to do a lot to prepare the barbecue. They drove together with their children to the supermarket to buy the food. They stood in the kitchen to prepare the food. Will arranged his beloved grill. Henry and Olivia planned on the biggest water fight one could imagine and were after all water pistols and water toys they had. But finally everything was ready and it was time for the guests to arrive.

And suddenly it rang at the door. JJ immediately jumped up, bringing her little son Johnny with her. He squealed excitedly and smiled brightly, although he doesn't quite understood what happened around him he surely got that _something _happened and given that he was always interested in action he loved to just join the fun. The two big children raced towards the door, but waited patiently for their mother to open the door since they weren't allowed to so on their own. The door swung open and a widely smiling Jack stormed into the house. Jack and Henry threw each other on the floor in excitement and scrambled laughing on the ground.

The next one to see was the little, dark-haired Hotchner-girl Gracie, who joyfully entered the house, screaming: "JJ, Will! I love you!" Will laughed, scooped her up and threw her up in the air like he used to do with the BAU-children when they saw each other.

At the same time Olivia ran towards Hotch and Emily, shouting: "Hello! I'm so happy to see you!" The two adults smiled widely and made their way from their car up to the house. Olivia threw her small arms around Emily's waist. Then Hotch carried the happily bouncing Olivia into the house. There he put the laughing girl back to the ground where she immediately was effusively greeted by little Gracie.

With all the children screaming the noise level increased to the highest and JJ feared the neighbors to complain every moment. But she pushed this thought aside and together with Will she brightly greeted her collegues and friends.

"Hey Em, how are you?", JJ piped. She embraced her friend with one arm while with the other she balanced the excitedly fidgeting and happily babbling Johnny on her hip.

Emily grinned and answered: "Oh, great, beside that I feel like I would melt any moment. It's really damn hot!"

"Yeah, that's why my kids run around in bathing togs, taking the risk that they look a little bit neglected!", JJ laughed. Then she hugged Hotch while Emily took Johnny and bonded with her godson.

After a few minutes greeting and talking between the adults the two men disappeared into the garden to examine Will's new grill while the big kids went playing and the women plus little Johnny sat down in the kitchen.

"Oh, his baby language is just so sweet!", Emily exclaimed while Johnny, sitting in his Mommy's lap, reached his little pudgy arms out to his godmother. JJ laughed. Emily and Johnny really were one soul and one heart.

But in the next moment the door bell rang again. Emily, JJ and Johnny arrived at the door at the same time as all the other people in the house. The door swung open and a beaming Garcia stormed in, in her arms little shyly smiling Max. Garcia gave over her boy to Emily who greeted him fondly and was affectionately hugged by the toddler while his mother effusively hugged JJ and cuddled with contently chuckling Johnny. Garcia's daughter Amber was thrown in the air by Will like always and squealed delighted. Kevin greeted Olivia, Henry, Jack and Gracie by caringly ruffling their hair and telling them a joke. Everybody laughed, spoke or screamed. It was getting louder and louder.

The door still being open Reid and Austin, each of them carrying one of their twins in their arms, entered the house and again all the kids exclaimed new excited screams and the two immediately were surrounded by a crowd of loud kids. But they didn't mind. The happily chuckling twins were given over to Emily and Will while Austin and Spencer greeted the other kids. Then the adults hugged and talked to each other while the kids disappeared to play in the garden.

The next family to come was the Morgan-Todd-family. Morgan had his big girl Izzie on his shoulders but as soon as she saw Garcia she demanded to be put down and stormed towards her godmother. Morgan and Jordan were instantly besieged by the other children. Jordan handed little Chrissie over to Hotch who caringly babbled to the little baby girl. Then Jordan hugged Emily, JJ, Austin and Reid and took Johnny who was like always fascinated by her chocolate brown skin and smilingly pulled her nose. JJ tried to save Morgan from the wild pack of children while he was greeted by Garcia, Hotch and Will. Austin and Emily had their hands full with the vivid Reid-twins.

In midst of the chaos finally the last guest, Rossi, arrived and the children's attention was diverted from Morgan to Dave. He spun Henry around, ruffled so many heads that he didn't even notice anymore whose heads it were, threw Gracie in the air and saved little Max from being overran by the bigger children.

Finally everything calmed down again. The big children ran off to play and dragged Reid, who also had to look after little Johnny, with them. The little children were carried around by their parents. The men, that is to say Rossi, Hotch, Will and Morgan, went outside to start the barbecue. Austin and Jordan settled down outside with their little ones and talked about baby stuff. JJ, Garcia and Emily carried the food in the garden and to the garden table while talking and laughing vividly.

"You know what?", JJ started. "Henry is going to get glasses!"

"What?", Garcia shouted. "Then he will resemble Reid even more than he already does!"

"She is right, JJ!", Emily laughed. "Are you sure Henry is Will's son and not Reid's?"

JJ grinned. "Believe me, he's Will's. If you were with him every day, you wouldn't doubt that. Moreover I would never sleep with Reid. That would be like sleeping with my brother! Disgusting!"

"Okay, okay!", Emily laughed, her hands hold up in surrender. "But you have to admit your son spends way too much time with his godfather!"

Garcia added: "I mean - he isn't even in school yet and reads second-grader-books! There's no doubt he is a genius!"

JJ smiled proudly: "Yeah, and the best - he even told me a statistic yesterday which he heard from Spence!"

"No wonder - Reid adores his godson. He kisses the earth Henry walks on.", Emily laughed.

"And it's mutual.", JJ added. "I would be grateful if Henry would just once listen as carefully to me as he does to Spence."

"Yeah, I know that feeling! Sometimes you feel like your children love everybody on this earth more than their own parents!", Garcia responded.

Emily looks at them inquiring. "Yeah, really? I don't know that feeling!"

JJ and Garcia looked at each other and said: "You lucky one!"

Emily deflected: "Back to the topic: Henry may look like you, JJ, but he behaves like Reid!"

Garcia pointed out: "But you have one point: Henry has Will's social competence. I guess that's the only difference between Henry and Reid!" Emily giggled.

JJ finally had enough: "Stop, girls! You of all the people dare to say that! Emily, it's almost scaring how much Jack resembles Hotch. And Garcia, Amber could be your identical twin beside her dark hair!" The three women looked at each other - and laughed out loud.

Garcia snickered: "You're right. We are really a crazy family!"

Emily gasped: "You can say that again!"

"Mummy, Mummy, I'm hungry! When are the burgers ready?", the girls suddenly hear little Amber whining.

"Oh sorry, madam. Aren't we fast enough? Then we will hurry up now! Just one minute, okay, sweetheart?", Garcia smiled to her daughter and ruffled her hair fondly. "Come on, ladies! We have to hurry, the princess is waiting for her food!", she addressed laughingly her friends.

Finally the food was ready and JJ screamed as loud as she could: "COME ON EVERYBODY! FOOD IS READY!"

Emily laughed and asked: "The years as media liaison trained your voice, don't they?"

"No, Emily, the years of soccer are guilty!", JJ corrected grinningly.

So everybody sat down, with all the people they were a really big group, but Will and JJ had been able to find enough tables and chairs. Of course it was extremely loud but nobody cared. JJ complained: "How am I ever supposed to get Johnny to eat when so much happens around him?"

Henry next to her couldn't care less about his mother's problem and just stuffed a big hamburger in his mouth. Olivia on the other side of JJ, who was normally a great eater, was so deeply immersed into a talk with her best friend Gracie that she even forgot about the yummy hamburgers. Will tried to convince her to eat but she just didn't listen to him. So he gave up and continued his talk to his sitting neighbor Hotch, who decided to leave it to Emily, sitting across from her husband and daughter, to convince their daughter from eating. Morgan next to her talked to Garcia while the children on their laps, Max and Izzie, made a gigantic mess while eating. Jordan next to Garcia tried to sooth the screaming Chrissie while Reid next to Emily tried with big effort and highly concentrated to feed his son Finn. Austin next to him did the same thing with Luke, but absolutely easygoing and effortless and talked along the way with Rossi across the table. Kevin came back into the garden, a new big bowl of salad in his hands.

Amber and Jack who sat between Henry and Rossi did silly antics and told incoherent jokes which were seemingly so funny that Henry almost spit his hamburger because of laughing. Then Jack had a new idea what to do: "Hey, what about we make an eating contest?", he asked the other two kids next to him enthusiastically.

Henry responded gleefully: "Yeah Jack, great idea! I did that once with my friends in kindergarten and let me tell you that I beat them all!"

"Oh Henry, you can't scare me! You will see, I will win!", Jack retorted and showed jokingly his muscles.

Amber cut in loudly: "Stop boys, we have to determine the rules!"

Jack said bossy: "Okay, each of us has to eat as many burgers as possible and in the end we will count who ate the most or who gave up earlier than the others!"

"But we need an umpire so that it's fair!", Henry suggested.

"Who could that be?", Amber asked musingly.

Suddenly Jack shouted: "I've got it! We ask Dave!"

"Yes, Dave!", Henry agreed and then added with pointing at Amber: "Amber, you ask him, they always permit you everything!"

Amber grinned self-confidently and addressed Rossi with her sweetest voice: "Uncle Davy, would you please help us with our game?"

Henry and Jack grinned at each other contently as Rossi turned around with a friendly smile. "Of course, Amber. What can I do?"

The three children told Rossi their plan. Rossi's mouth dropped open speechlessly and he tried to protest but finally after the kids talked at him intensively he gave up and gave his okay to play the umpire. Despite Rossi's effort to contain it the event turned out into a complete mess but the adults were so cheerful today that they didn't say anything and just let the kids have their fun. The three kids' faces were completely smudgy with parts of the burgers mixed up with glutinous orange juice and the table in front of them was an absolute chaos of food and dishes.

But the kids laughed and ate and ate until finally Amber and Henry gave up.

"I'm so full!", Henry sighed and patted his stomach.

"Me too!", Amber moaned. "I can't move anymore!"

Jack jumped up from the table and screamed happily: "Yeah, I won, I won!"

"Just because you're older!", Henry grumbled.

"Yeah, you have more space in your belly!", Amber added while wrinkling her nose.

JJ, Garcia and Emily regarded their smudgy children in shock while Will, Kevin and Hotch couldn't otherwise than laugh out loud at their kids' appearance. JJ said matter-of-factly: "I think it's time for the water fight!"

As soon as everybody was finished with eating the adults cleaned up the table together while the children went playing. As Hotch tried to smuggle himself out of the way, Emily shouted sternly: "No, no, no. As much as I love you, you won't escape from helping to clean up!" Everybody around them laughed.

After the annoying work was done everybody dispersed in the LaMontagne-garden to play with the children or to talk. JJ settled against a pile of the porch and watched contently smiling over her big family.

Anthony Brandt wrote, "Other things may change us, but we start and end with family."


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own Criminal Minds.**

Chapter 3

"Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love." Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Hey JJ, come on and help us!", JJ suddenly heard Will screaming, supported by Henry's and Olivia's squealing: "Mommy, Mommy, come on! That's fun!"

JJ laughed. "Getting wet and cold is fun, yes?", she screamed back jokingly. But nevertheless she joined them on their game.

"Gimme a water pistol!", she demanded immediately when she saw the evil grin on Hotch's face.

But Jack squealed: "That's not fair! You are one more!"

But then his face lit up and he demanded: "Emmy, you have to help us! LaMontagne against Hotchner! Or do you want us to lose?"

"Yes!", Gracie screeched affirmative. "Mommy! Help us!"

Of course Emily didn't want her people to lose, so she came over, grabbed a water pistol and joined the loud, wet and - JJ had to admit - fun water fight.

After a short time JJ was soaking wet. Her clothes stuck to her body and drippy streaks of hair fell into her face. But she nevertheless laughed as another flush of cold water from Emily's water pistol hit her in the side. JJ screamed jokingly furious and fired her own pistol. Emily screeched as the water soaked her hair once again. Olivia jumped in to support her Mom and with a loud "Look at THAT!" she threw a water balloon at Emily. But Emily saw the attack early enough and ducked her head in an attempt to yield. The water balloon flew over Em's head and everybody watched surprised how it burst with a loud splash by hitting Jack at the knee. The boy turned around with a wild expression in his face to locate the attacker.

Emily grinned mischievously. "Attention, enemies! Jack's and my revenge will be cruel!"

Jack tried hard not to laugh and screamed wildly while running with two water balloons in his hands towards Olivia and JJ to attack them. Emily loaded her water pistol. Olivia hid behind her Mommy and JJ positioned herself with a big grin on her face, ready to defend herself with all her strength.

Olivia squealed: "Daddy, Henry, help us! Help us!"

But the two men were busy: Hotch had thrown Henry over his shoulders, where the laughing boy attacked Hotch's back with his little fists. Will ran after the two to get his son back and held the garden hose in his hands with which he not only soaked Hotch but also his own son. Gracie ran after Will attacking him with her water pistol in order to protect her Daddy. But Will turned around grinning and splashed the little girl with the water in his hose, making her giggle like crazy. Morgan, Izzie and Amber decided to join the fight and grabbed a few water pistols and water balloons. Amber and Izzie went to support their friend Gracie in attacking Will and suddenly the poor guy was surrounded by three little girls with big water pistols in their hands. Will defended himself as well as he could but finally the girls had thrown him to the ground and soaked him mercilessly with cold water. Will put his hands up in surrender, crying for mercy.

Meanwhile Morgan gave his all to free Henry from Hotch's hands. Hotch struggled with doing three things at the same time: holding Henry in his arms with one hand, firing the water pistol at Morgan with the other hand and running away from Morgan who followed him persistently.

Suddenly Henry stopped beating Hotch and whispered in his best friend's father's ear: "Hotch, I have an idea!"

Hotch answered actually highly concentrated on Morgan: "An idea? We are enemies, already forgotten?"

Henry shook his head. "Who cares? It's a good idea!", he insisted.

"Okay! Tell me!", Hotch told him. Henry's voice changed into a mysterious sound.

"Listen. Morgan is still much too dry. We have to change that!"

Hotch grinned an evil grin and his interest rose. "That sounds well! Go on!"

"We pretend he saves me from you and then I take his pistol and we attack him together, okay?", Henry explained proudly.

"Very good plan, buddy!", Hotch praised him.

Morgan became suspicious and yelled: "What do you two talk there?"

Hotch ignored the question and just let Morgan approach him. Henry fidgeted wildly and Hotch pretended he couldn't hold the boy anymore. Henry "escaped" and ran to Morgan.

He demanded bossily: "Gimme the water pistol! I need revenge!"

Morgan, completely clueless as he was, handed it to him. Henry couldn't hide his triumphal grin. He winked at Hotch and Hotch smiled back. The two positioned themselves face to face to Morgan. Morgan looked from one to the other, suspicious. Hotch and Henry looked at each other and then started loudly screaming to fire.

Morgan yelled: "Henry! You betrayer! I saved you from Hotch! I thought we were friends!"

Henry laughed: "Things change!"

Morgan's face changed from betrayed to determined and began to throw his water balloons he still held in his hands. "I won't give up!", he screamed feisty. Everybody laughed.

After one and a half hours of water fight JJ was getting cold and they decided to stop. Everybody who was wet went in to change clothes. It was getting dark but it was still pleasantly warm and nobody thought at going home. Rossi and Kevin lighted a fire in Will's fire basket and everybody settled cozily around the fire on the terrace. Will and JJ got lots of soft blankets and big pillows from inside on which they could sit or lie. The children were completely excited about the campfire and gathered busily wood in the garden. Slowly everybody calmed down and the atmosphere changed from loud, chaotic and excited to peaceful, homely and quiet.

Henry and Jack sat as near to the fire as possible and each of them had a long wooden stick in his hand with which they poked in the glow of the fire. Emily observed the boys in front of her attentively, paying attention that they didn't do any stupid things with the fire, while stroking her daughter's dark hair who sat in her lap. Next to them sat Kevin and Gracie talked vividly to Amber who sat in her Daddy's lap while Kevin chatted with Emily. Next to Kevin lay Garcia on a pink blanket, a peacefully sleeping Max nestled against his mother. Next to them lay Morgan talking to Garcia, an also fast asleep baby Chrissie lying on his belly. Alongside him sat Jordan chatting with Austin. Since the two were the only women that didn't belong to the BAU they had bonded with each other and were now very good friends. Little Finn in Austins arms slept peacefully, moving his small pudgy arms as if he was dreaming a vivid dream. Next to Austin sat Reid, he had laid an arm around the shoulders of his wife. With the other arm he hold the other twin, Luke, who also slept peacefully.

Reid complained: "He never sleeps like that! There's not one night without us being woken up by his cries. But with you all around he seems absolutely calm."

JJ next to him smiled. "Seems like he knows exactly what a great family he has."

Will leaned against the house wall with a gigantic amount of pillows behind him to cushion the hard wall. JJ was snuggled against him with her head lying on his chest and Will drawing patterns on her back with his fingers while she chatted with Reid. In her arms slept little Johnny. In front of her sat her girl Olivia and Morgan's daughter Izzie who played calmly with two of Olivias dolls they had got from inside. Next to Will sat Rossi and Hotch and the three men were deeply immersed in a conversation about the newest action film they had lately seen in the cinema. Hotch sat next to Emily and had an arm around her, she leaned trustfully in to him.

Mario Puzo wrote, "The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, is in its loyalty to each other."

**I hope you liked it!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Family BAU-Style **

Chapter 4

Philosopher Kahlil Gibran wrote: "Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars."

A loud and unhappy scream thrilled through the peaceful silence.

JJ groaned and snuggled deeper into her comfy bed. Will turned around and threw unconsciously his arm on JJ's back. He mumbled sleepily: "Can't Johnny be fourteen years instead of fourteen months? Then we would have some peace and quiet until noon!"

JJ sighed and opened reluctantly her eyes: "Okay, okay, I will go get him. But next time it's your turn!" Will didn't answer.

JJ stood up and put some comfortable clothes on, trying to ignore the annoying crying of her young son. Between his angry screams he babbled something that sounded like "Mamamama…" and "Dadadada…". JJ grinned.

Then she pressed caringly a soft kiss on her husband's head and observed him for a few seconds, not being able to bear herself down to move. Will didn't shift and his eyes stayed close, but his lips changed into a slight smile. "Sleepy head!", JJ grumbled.

Still dozy, but smiling, she left her and Will's room and made her way up to her smallest son's room whose crying finally changed into a soft whimpering. JJ entered the nursery and saw her son sitting upright and wide awake in his crib. As soon as Johnny saw his mother his crying stopped and he shouted: "Mommy!", reaching out his short arms to her.

JJ smiled lovingly and lifted her son out of his bed. The little boy snuggled up to her and nuzzled his head into her neck. "Hey, what's up with you? You are as cuddly as the teddies on your jammies today!", JJ smiled and placed a fond kiss on his temple. "What do you think, Johnny? How about we make breakfast for the others and surprise them?"

Johnny smiled and said: "Yeah!", one of the few words he could say and thus said all the time.

JJ stepped onto the corridor and added: "But at first we check on your siblings!" Johnny didn't mind.

Calmly, careful not to wake her other son up, JJ opened the door to Henry's room and peaked through the crack into the room. What she saw touched her deeply and made her, once again, smile. Henry lay in his bed, peacefully sleeping, his messy blonde hair peeking out from underneath the blanket. But he wasn't alone: He had his arms wrapped around his little sister who lay beside him, closely cuddled up to her big brother and her face buried into his chest.

JJ grinned at the stuffed lion lying on the ground beside Henry's bed. "He who has a sibling doesn't need a stuffed animal!", she whispered to Johnny.

JJ just loved the love between Henry and Olivia. It reminded her of her own big sister who died much too early. She felt a happy and sad feeling at the same time flow through her body and thought back to when she was still a little girl and, like Olivia, always crawled into her sister's bed when she had a nightmare. Her sister would mumble reluctantly but finally snuggle her comfortingly. And in the morning she would sent JJ fast out of her room so their brother didn't notice that she slept in one bed with her little sister.

It was still hard for JJ to think of her sister Fiona but it had become easier. She had loved her sister so much although she hadn't really known that until she was dead. She remembered the several times she had said "I hate you" to her sister. The countless times they had fought about silly things. The many times she had annoyed her big sister the way only a little sister could and the many times Fiona had used her physical superiority to wear her down the way only a big sister could.

But JJ also remembered the way they had always been there for each other when the chips were down. Yeah, her sister had been her role model and her death had broken her little, fragile heart back then. Long, long nights she had cried herself to sleep after her sister was gone, feeling so lonely and abandoned with no one to snuggle beside her. How many times had she reproached herself with not having noticed anything? How many times had she begged to God to turn back time so she could save her sister?

But now it was many, many years ago and JJ had taken off these thoughts. She was finally able to smile because her sister lived instead of crying because she died. She knew the pain would never go away completely but she wouldn't want it otherwise. The wound the death of Fiona left behind on her soul would be her eternal remembrance of her sister. She would never stop missing her sister, never, but she couldn't change it anymore and she had accepted that. Her sister belonged to her, like everyone else she loved or had loved, and JJ's memories of her were safe in her heart for evermore. Fionas life as well as her death was a part of JJ's history and although she was dead she would always be alive in JJ's memory. Fiona was a part of what JJ had been, what she had become and what she would be. And that would never change.

And by looking into the faces of her children JJ knew she was happy for what she was and thankful for what she had. Whatever would happen she would never, ever trade her beautiful, perfectly imperfect family for anything in this world.

Tears arose in her eyes and she snuggled Johnny to comfort herself. As if the little boy sensed his mother's sadness he wrapped his pudgy arms around her neck and JJ dried her tears in his soft, messy brown hair.

Then JJ shook her head to drive away the dark thoughts and carried Johnny down the stairs into the kitchen. She put her happily babbling son into his high chair and took the telephone. She just felt like talking to a friend. She automatically dialed Emily's number. She really loved Garcia and she was always great in cheering someone up but sometimes it was easier to talk to Emily. She was always calm, relaxed, simply natural, she understood JJ without being told anything and gave support without saying anything. Although it was still very early, 8 am, JJ knew Emily was already up since Gracie was an absolute early bird.

"Prentiss.", Emily's voice sounded through the phone. JJ frowned. Her friend sounded abnormally tired and strained.

"Hey Em, it's me, JJ.", JJ guessed she didn't sound much better, it had gotten very late yesterday, but somehow she had the feeling that something wasn't okay.

"Oh, hey JJ.", Emily answered short-spoken.

"What's the matter, Emily?", JJ asked concerned.

"Nothing, don't worry. It's just… Jack had a nightmare."

"A nightmare?", JJ asked.

"Yes. A really terrible one.", Emily responded.

"What was it about?", JJ gently dug deeper.

Emily hesitated. "He dreamt… he dreamt of me being murdered. By Foyet."

"Oh.", JJ didn't know what to say.

"We woke up from his loud screams. Of course we immediately raced into his room and there he sat straight up in his bed, screaming and crying, but his eyes were closed. It was scaring! Hotch shook Jack to wake him up but also awake he was still absolutely scared and shocked. He was constantly yelling: "He murdered her!" Again and again. Of course we thought he meant Hailey. I wanted to leave the room because I thought it would be better if Hotch comforted him but when he saw me he swept towards me and threw his arms around me. He told us that he had dreamt that Foyet came and murdered _me_. He said Foyet wanted to take his mother from him again."

JJ gulped. "He called you his mother."

"Yes.", Emily affirmed soundlessly. "I mean… I feel like I'm his mother anyway but I never… I want him to remember his real mother. And Hotch wants that, too. I don't want and I am not able to replace Hailey."

"You don't do that. Jack will never forget Hailey. But nevertheless he needs someone like a mother in his life. He needs you and he loves you. You know that.", JJ told her comfortingly.

Emily was silent for a few seconds. "Yeah, you're right. It just broke my heart to see him like this."

"Poor boy. How is Jack now?", JJ asked compassionately.

Emily answered: "He's sleeping. It was a hard night for him."

JJ sighed. "I'm sorry."

"For what?", Emily asked.

"That I can't help you."

"You already helped me. And Hotch and Jack. We are family, remember?"

"Yeah, family.", JJ murmured.

"Hey, what's up? You sound almost as depressed as me!", Emily responded. She added: "Why did you actually call?"

JJ decided not to weight Emily with her sad feelings since she had enough trouble on her own. "Oh, everything is okay. I just felt like talking to you."

JJ had laid the table while talking to Emily and Johnny was deeply concentrated on sucking and nibbling at a piece of white bread. Now he shouted: "Mommy!", jealous that JJ was so concentrated on Emily.

"Oh, I can hear Johnny!", Emily instantly announced.

"Yeah, it's a peaceful morning just with me and Johnny. The others are still sleeping.", JJ told her.

Emily said: "What about we set up a play-date for today? I think a little distraction would be good for Jack."

"Yes, of course! Henry will be happy.", JJ answered.

Emily suggested: "Then you come around at noon, okay?"

"Yes, that's great. I'm sorry Emily but I have to take care of Johnny now, okay?"

"Yes, of course. See you later!", Emily said goodbye.

JJ turned her attention back to Johnny. The little boy tapped his hands on the table and talked loudly in his incomprehensible baby language, gazing at her. JJ made coffee for her and Will, cacao for Henry and Olivia and warmed up a bottle of milk for Johnny while she talked to him, laughing. "Yeah, of course, you can have another piece of bread! But at first we wake up the others, okay? Then we can have breakfast together."

Johnny wasn't very enthusiastic about waiting for more food and whined impatiently. JJ took him out of his high chair and put him down on the ground. He just learned to walk and now he was always happy when he could use his newly acquired skill. As soon as Johnny stood on his own feet he staggered away, his arms widely extended to keep the balance. JJ ran after him and picked her laughing son up by swinging him around to keep him from running away. For such a little guy he could already run surprisingly fast!

Then JJ ran up the stairs with Johnny on her hip. She opened the door to Henry's room to wake her two other children up but it was empty. JJ frowned and made her way up to her and Will's bedroom from which she now could her noises and voices. When she stepped in she found her husband awake in the big bed together with Henry and Olivia.

The kids were giggling like crazy because their father tickled them mercilessly. They did that often: almost every morning JJ and Will were awoken by their two big children coming into their room and jumping on their bed. Then the four would do their traditional early-morning-cuddle.

When Will noticed his wife and smallest son he grinned. "Wanna join the fun?"

Johnny already fidgeted excitedly in her arms, so JJ didn't need to be told twice. She threw herself together with Johnny onto the bed. The kids shrieked happily and Will and JJ laughed. JJ lay down on Will's chest. Henry wrapped his arms around his mother's neck from behind while Olivia sat down on Will's stomach so that he didn't know whether to laugh or to groan. JJ saved Will by pulling Olivia into her embrace. Johnny attacked his big brother by climbing onto him and trying to tickle him. But he was immediately overwhelmed by Henry who used his physical superiority to quickly turn the tables and tickled his little brother until Johnny yelled with laughter.

After a while of tickling and cuddling JJ asked breathlessly: "Hey guys, Johnny and I made breakfast. Anybody hungry?" Her question was immediately answered by enthusiastic screams. So everybody got up and ran down the stairs into the kitchen.

"Ohhhh, the milk!", JJ shouted, slapping herself against the forehead and racing towards the stove to save the milk from boiling over.

Everybody sat down and began to eat. "I dreamt we were at the zoo!", Henry told them enthusiastically.

"Did we see the monkeys?", Olivia asked interestedly. Johnny squealed happily at hearing the word "monkey".

"No, because we weren't there to watch the animals, we _were _the animals.", he explained.

"Wow, you have vivid dreams!", Will acknowledged.

"What kind of animal was I?", Olivia wanted to know.

Henry scrunched his face pensively. "You were a penguin and quacked the whole time." Olivia shot her brother a dark glare.

Henry continued, unimpressed: "Penguins are boring. But Jack and I, we were big, scary lions!"

"Of course!", JJ laughed. "Oh, I almost forget to tell you. We visit Jack later, he isn't feeling so well and needs a little bit distraction."

"Yay, super!", Henry screeched excitedly. "Can we go to the zoo?"

JJ looked at Will who said: "Yeah, I'm sure we can, but we have to ask the Hotchners."

The children went on babbling about the strangest things while Will fed little Johnny. JJ smiled contently while enjoying the like always loud, vivid and chaotic breakfast with her beloved family.

Christopher Lasch said: „The family is a haven of peace in a heartless world."


End file.
